Henry Altemus Company

The following are questions submitted via email by our visitors.

If you have a question about Altemus books that you'd like answered please click on the Questions link at the bottom left of this page.

Petit Trianon Series

Q:  I recently came across this book (Paradise Lost) and Paradise Regained and was trying to double check my research and find out the dates on them. Thank you for any assistance.

A:  Your book was published in 1908-1909 as part of the Petit Trianon Series. It is a reprint and originally came in a labeled box.

Because it is a very common title, a reprint without an original has little, if any, value.

Petit Trianon Series

Q:  I see that you published In His Steps in 1899. This is my treasure. It is a hard bound. I don't see it listed on your website. Was it printed in sb first, possibly elsewhere?

Others on Ebay say the firt pub date is 1897. Is mine a first Edition? If not how do I list it? What category is it in? Do you know it's value? If not please give me guidance on where to go.

A:  It was published in 1899-1900 as part of the Petit Trianon Series. Your book is not a first edition. You can find a picture on the series page.

It has only nominal value and will be hard to sell at any price (especially in this condition).

Petit Trianon Series

Q:  Hello, I have an old Evangeline book and have no idea when it was published, I have searched your site and have not found it. I have attached some pictures. If you could let me know that would be great.

A:  This book is part of the Petit Trianon Series and was published in 1899. It is a reprint and originally came in a labeled box.

In this shape it has no collector value.

Petit Trianon Series

Q:  Hi, Someone gave me this book (Child's Garden of Verses) a few years back. I would just like to know a little more about it. It doesn't have a date or anything to that effect nor can I find any other that look like it. Thanks.

A:  Your book is part of the Petit Trianon Series and was published in 1901-1902.

During this year the left side of the cover was either beige or pink. The right side had a picture of one of sixteen flowers. Yours is a violet. This reprint originally came in a labeled box.

Petit Trianon Series

Q:  Hi I was hoping you could give me some info about this book such as publishing date and value and any other info you may know about said book…

Thank you
Autocrat of the breakfast table

A:  Your book is part of the Petit Trianon Series and was published in 1901-1902.

During this year the right half of the cover had one of sixteen flowers. Your book has Lilacs (2). The left half of the cover was either beige (your book), blue or pink. The latter two colors are quite uncommon. The book originally came in a labeled box.

It is a reprint and only has nominal value.

Petit Trianon Series

Q:  I am hoping you can help me date and get a possible value on this book. Black Beauty by Anna Sewell. No date. I have included a photo of cover and inside with publisher name.
Thank you for any help you can give me.

A:  Your book is part of the Petit Trianon Series and was published in 1903-1904.

Each year the books of this series had a different cover. So identifying the year of publication can be done accurately.

During 1903-1904 the Petit Trianon Series books had covers that had a stereotyped pedestal decoration on the left side of the cover. This decoration came in pink, blue, and beige. On the right half of the cover was one of sixteen flower pictures.

Although there are many Black Beauty collectors, there is nothing that makes this particular copy stand out. It is a reprint without great illustrations. So to get more than a few dollars will depend on finding that one collector who has to have this format.

Petit Trianon Series

Q:  I looked for this book (Reveries of a Bachelor) many times on many sites.... Would you let me know what year this book was written?

A:  This book is part of the Petit Trianon Series and was published in 1899-1900.

During this year the left side of the cover is the same on all of the books while the right side has been seen with more than 25 different decorative patterns.

These books originally came in a labeled box. An example is shown here.

All of the books of this series are reprints and have minimal value except for a few widely collected titles.

Petit Trianon Series

Q:  Hi there! I am having a difficult time finding this book anywhere but in my collection. Any thoughts? it is copyright 1899.

A:  Your book is part of the Petit Trianon Series and was published in 1899.

It originally came within a labeled box. This book is a reprint.

You can see on the website that in 1899 the books of this series all had the same pattern on the left side of the cover whereas the right has any one of a number of different decorative designs.

Petit Trianon Series

Q:  Hello Altemus Publishing,

Can you tell me about this book I have, "The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin." Copyright 1895 Henry Altemus.

The last page has the signature I included in the images.

A:  Your book is part of the Petit Trianon Series and was published in 1899-1900. It originally came with a labeled box.

During these years the books of this series had a stereotypical decoration on the left side of the cover. On the right side of the cover I have seen 27 different patterns (including your book's). All of them are shown here on the website.

Your book is a reprint and only has nominal value even in the best shape.

Petit Trianon Series

Q:  Thank you so much for your time in reading my email and looking at what I have.

I have attached photos of Sheldon's "In His Steps" published by the Henry Altemus Company. I've only come across one other book with this front cover online, and there was no value placed on it.

This particular book belongs to a very dear friend of mine who lent it to me so that I could read it. It is a very good read! I wanted to return it to him with some background information on the value. I've seen prices of the same title but different publishers range from $3 to over $400. Any information you might be able to give me would be greatly appreciated.

A:  Your book was published 1901-1902 as part of the Petit Trianon Series.

During this year all of the books in this series had the same lady on the left side of the cover and any one of sixteen different flowers on the right half.

This book originally came within a labeled box.

Most of these reprints have very little value unless the title is a special one. So it is unlikely you would get more than a few dollars for your book.

Generally the prices you see online are not overly helpful. The first editions always sell for a lot but after that people are just trying to get what they can of the reprints.